Internal-combustion engine with demountable power units



April 25, 1950 R. w. KRONLUND 2,504,988

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH DEMOUNTABLE POWER UNITS Filed Sept. 4, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 II I6 I I6 III.

T m 32 la 34 11' FIG.I.

INVENTOR RAYMOND W. KRONLUND ATTORNEY INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH DEMOUNTABLE POWER UNITS R KRONLUND April 25, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 4, 1945 INVENTOR RAYMOND W. KRONLUND ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 25, 1950 zsmess INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH DEMOUNTABLE POWER UNITS Raymond W. Kronlund, Tacoma, Wash.

Application September 4, 1945, Serial No. 614,324

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 0. G. 757) 7 Claims.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and is illustrated herein as embodied in a two-cycle, radial, Diesel type of engine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a radial type of internal combustion engine in which each cylinder and piston has its own individual crankshaft and comprises a separate, Independent power unit that is independently mounted on the engine housing and detachably interconnected with the transmission gearing therein whereby the units may be each demounted separately without disturbance to the remainder of the assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact, power transmission assembly incorporating balancing flywheels as a part of the gearing thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide in an engine of this character, a design and construction that readily lends itself to the use of radially disposed cylinders in either single or dual banks depending upon power output reii'uirements and in which, in either event, the liring order is so arranged as to give a maximum lgialanced performance with a minimum of vibra- With the above and other objects and features in view, the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improved internal combustion engine illustrating the cylinders and transmission in a dual bank assembly;

Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation of one of the fink: of cylinders taken on the line II1I of Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1 and showing a section of the power transmission gearing; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1 showing another section of the power transmission gearing and its connection with the driven shaft of the engine.

The invention is shown herein in an engine embodying dual banks of eight cylinders each. It will be understood, however, that the number of cylinders may be reduced and that a single bank. of eight cylinders, or less, only may be employed.

The casing or housing is comprised of two sec- Each section is formed octo- I tions l and I2. conically toward its outer end to provide eight angularly disposed bosses 14 upon which the cylinder power units It are mounted. At their inner ends the sections have circumferential flanges l8 by means of which they are securedtogether by studs such as 20,- a suitable gasket being first inserted between the flanges, to insure a tight joint. End plates 22 and 24 are secured to the outer ends of the housings H] and 12, respectively. The end plates carry inwardly projecting bearings 26 and 28 in which a horizontally disposed main shaft 30 is rotatably mounted.

Oppositely disposed frame members 32 and 34 of circular shape are fitted withinthe inner ends of the housings l 0 and I2 and are secured by bolts 36. The members 32 and 34 are internally re-' cessed so that, when the members are assembled together as shown in Fig. 1, they form a compartment 38 for enclosing certain of the gears of the transmission which is to be later described. Bearings 4'0 and 42 are fixed centrally in each of the frame members for receiving and further supporting the main shaft 30. By the provision of the members 32 and 34 the entire housing assembly is integrated, strengthened and rein-' forced to withstand stresses developed by the power cylinder units 16 now to be described.

Referring to Fig. 2, each power unit I6 comprises a cylinder block 44 having a series of the usual annular cooling fins 46 externally thereof.

The usual hardened sleeve insert 48 is mounted within the bore 50 to receive the piston 52. The: head 54 of the cylinder is secured thereon by studs 56. The lower end of the block 44 is cut away on opposite sides as at 58 thus forming two diametrically opposite depending supports 60 and at the same time providing clearance for the rotation of a crankshaft 63. The lower ends of the supports 60 are provided with semi-cylindrical bearing recesses 62 for receiving the opposite ends of the crank-shaft 63. The bearings for the shaft are completed by a pair of separate cap members 64 having complementary semi-cylindrical bearing recesses 66. The members 64 are secured in position to rotatably support the crankshaft by four, long, tie bolts 68 that ex tend through the head 54,'spaced bores provided in the cylinder block 44 and the depending supports 60 thereof, and through openings in each.

side of the cap members 64.

In this manner the extremities of the unit 1. e., the head 54 and the cap members 64 are rigidly interconnected with the body of the cylinder to withstand high pressures.

- The piston 52 has a wrist pin Til that is connected in the usual manner by a piston rod I2 with a crankshaft 63.

end of the flange being substantially even with the lower end of the cylinder. The cylinder units iii are mounted onthe housings by inserting their lower ends through openings "I3 provided in the Each cylinder. block 44. hasintegrally formed therewith an external anbeing interposed therebetween to insure a tight joint. Studs 16 passing through the flanges I4 and threaded into the bosses are set up to rigidly hold the units in mounted position.

Since each crankshaft 63 is individually mounted on its respective cylinder {5, as above described, if it becomes necessary to demount a particular cylinder for repair, replacement of parts, or other reasons, this be readily accomplished without disturbance to the remainder of the assembly by simply removing the studs 76 of the cylinder and withdrawing that cylinder and its crankshaft as a unit, bodily, from the housing. By this arrangement and construction complete disassemloly of the engine, such as has generally hitherto been necessary, is obviated.

Each crankshaft 63 has its inner end project ing beyond its inner set of bearings 621-766 (Fig. 1) and supporting a gear 18 secured thereon for meshing engagement with the transmission train Three e s of opp sit ly di pos sea s. it are. 3

fixed on t e ppos te e ds f three se ara e stub hafts x end hrou t c m rtment 3.8-, hait a a e space 120 asart about. haft 30 an are ach iou oa ed d ac nt o qpp s i n s. arihss r v ded; th sid Walls of the compa me t 8;.

Wi h n compar m nt i ehtra i o and to ea h s a t 9. there i hosted a scar 24-, hi the gears 9. ar of qual diameter she ea h. meshes with a (hian. r 3 k ed, to he, a n 3- hus c m e in t e. t aih o ra sm sion as ha hea he y in er th s to. he. a n. shaft. i l

1h q erah as he qyl hders th erah n shai 63. q e ears 11%,, to o ate the hi whe s s hi h. hrough the Qi ear ng ust. des rib d ri the shaft 3;-

Ref r ng 9 his 2 the cy in r a i piston ne er; u i s are nu be ed p hw e mm he t m s nder 1 i 8, lusive. r he P oseh specifying the. preferred firing order.

In hs e a k n ne he Pistons .2. o hrs i a d ar a top, ead; cente ist s Q? c inder 2 a d 5 a 9 in ad ae oi he a ce t pisto 52 o inde s 3 and l are at hq iohi dead. gehier P stons 52;. of cylihdexs 4 ah 8; are. 99 a er or. dead which th s rrah emshi ive a fg he Qrd .se t ,h of I and 52 and 6-3 and 'l and ca es,

I dual. h t-hi1 caches the fi tih o der s seti ii as follows:

Second First Bang mg,

1 and 5 simultaneously with 3 and 7 2 and fi simultaneouslyiwith 4 and 8 3 aiid 7 simultaneously with, 1 and; 4 and 8 simultaneously with 2 axi'd'o in the bosses l4 that the gears 13 may be readily slid laterally into mesh with the teeth 86 when a cylinder unit It is beingmounted or as readily slid out of mesh with the teeth when a cylinder unit is being demounted.

The intalge and exhaust ports for the cylinder units are indicated in Fig. 2 at 98 and I60, respectively. These are connected in the usual manner to suitable manifolds of conventional design and construction.

"The cylinder heads 5 3 are each provided with a precombustion chamber such as is indicated at llll in Fig. 1 and are connected by fuel lines (not shown) to a conventional fuel injection system including a pump indicated at 1G2. The pump may be driven by a ring gear H14 secured on the periphery of the right-hand flywheel 82 meshing with a pinion Hit.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for Government purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon or therefor.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as novel and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a radial type, of internal combustion engins having a plurality of cylinderepiston power units and a central drive shaft positioned therein, a transmissifln gearing train comprising, a flywheel having oppositely disposed faces mounted on said drive shaft in rotatable relation therewith, said flywheel having integral first and sees gr d intex nal circumferential gear means formed in said opposite faces thereof, third gear means associated with each of said plurality of power units, each of said third gear means being meshed with said first gear means on said flywheel, and fourth gear means secured to. said drive shaft, said second; gear means I? said flywheel being f hi 9; fourth gear means.

2. A radial type internal combustion engine comprisinga housing, a plurality of cylinderpiston power units each havin an individual rahkshaf mo n ed thereon a powe im h me r mo ah mou ted o aid ho s n a drive shaft centr l y ocate wi h n a ho sin a fly: wheel having oppositely disposed faces mounted on said drive shaft and relatively rotatable thereto, said flywheel having integral first and second internal circumferential gear means formed in said opposite faces thereof, a pinion gear attached to, each of said crankshafts of said power units, each of said pinion gears being engaged with said first gear means of said flywheel, a plurality of idler shaftsrotatably iqurnalled within said housing and disposed parallel to said drive shaft, third and fourth gear means secured; to said idler shafts, said third gear-means being engaged with said second gear means 055 said flywheel, and a ea Se u e to, a d ri ha and? en a w h said fourth gear means.

3:. A dual-Joarilfi radial type internal combustion h he. ihql line a c h ra dri e, f m on: to both banks and having a bull-gear secured here o. each ash; com risin a h u g ah iy emeal. sha e a ir h y o in rih ne e s. removed? m unt d on a ass e Said. owe unit ac a n moi-- s al, rahhshei with. a h h a u tl ie eto, a flywheel. having oppositely disposed faces mo n e Qh sa d d v ha and r at e o a a ther t a d fl whe havi gi e r rst. id QQBQ= i lt llnal. i i l llfli fi n i l gear 3 9 lfmfll ll fl ql 3 29 53 $96.5, .1 8.2 e hi-s idz ihhh. ae is s hjs. engaged w t d i s gear means, three stub shafts equally spaced circumferentially and rotatably journalled Within said housing, said shafts being disposed parallel to said drive shaft, and third and fourth gear means secured to each of said stub shafts, each of said third gear means being engaged with said second gear means of said flywheel, and each of said fourth gear means being engaged with said bull gear on said drive shaft.

4. A power unit for an internal combustion engine having a pyramidal housing with transmission gearing therein, said unit comprising a cylinder, a piston reciprocably mounted therein, a crankshaft rotatably journalled in the wall of said cylinder, a rod connecting said .piston and said crankshaft, an annular flange mounted externally of said cylinder and integral therewith, the plane of said flange being disposed obliquely of the axis of said cylinder, said flange being adapted for removable attachment on an oblique face of said pyramidal housing, and a pinion gear on said crankshaft adapted for removable interconnection with said transmission gearing.

5. In a radial type of internal combustion engine, a housing of pyramidal shape providing a plurality of obliquely disposed faces, each of said faces having an opening therein, a central drive shaft positioned within said housing and coincident with the longitudinal axis of said pyramidal housing, a plurality of power units each comprising a cylinder, a piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder, a crankshaft rotatably journalled in brackets which form integral extensions on the lower end of said cylinder, a rod connecting said piston and said crankshaft, and an annular flange mounted externally of said cylinder, the plane of said flange being disposed obliquely 0f the axis of said cylinder and near the lower end thereof, the lower end of said cylinder being inserted in one of said openings in said faces where by said annular flange is removably positioned on an oblique face of said housing and the axis of said cylinder is normal to the axis of said drive shaft and the axis of said crankshaft is parallel to said drive shaft. I

6. A power unit for an internal combustion engine having a pyramidal housing with transmission gearing therein, said unit comprising a cylinder, 9, crankshaft rotatably journalled in the wall of said cylinder, a piston reciprocably mounted in said cylinder and operably connected to said crankshaft, an annular flange mounted externally of said cylinder and integral therewith, the plane of said flange being disposed obliquely of the axis of said cylinder, said flange bein adapted for removable attachment on an oblique face of said housing, and a pinion gear secured to said crankshaft.

7. In a radial type of internal combustion engine, a housing formed with a plurality of obliquely disposed faces, each of said faces having an opening therein, a drive shaft positioned within said housing and coincident with the longitudinal axis of said housing, a plurality of power units each comprising a cylinder having a piston reciprocably mounted therein, a crankshaft rotatably journalled in the wall of said cylinder near one end thereof, means operably connecting said piston to said crankshaft, and an annular flange mounted externally of said cylinder and integral therewith, the plane of said flange being disposed obliquely to the axis of said cylinder, the said one end of said cylinder being inserted in one of said openings in said faces whereby said flange is removably positioned on an oblique face Of said housing and the axis of said cylinder is normal to the axis of said drive shaft and the axis of said crankshaft is parallel to said drive shaft.

RAYMOND W. KRONLUND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,579,083 Collins Mar. 30, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 675,425 France Feb. 10, 1930 678,351 France Mar. 21, 1930 803,950 France Oct. 12, 1936 

